1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to programmable logic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to interconnecting logic and memory elements included within programmable logic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A programmable logic device (PLD) is a programmable integrated circuit that allows the user of the circuit, using software control, to program particular logic functions the circuit will perform. Logic functions performed by small, medium, and large-scale integration integrated circuits can instead be performed by programmable logic devices. When an integrated circuit manufacturer supplies a typical programmable logic device, it is not yet capable of performing any specific function. The user, in conjunction with software supplied by the manufacturer or created by the user or an affiliated source, can program the PLD to perform particular functions required by the user's application. The PLD then can function in a larger system designed by the user just as though dedicated logic chips were employed. For the purpose of this description, it is to be understood that a programmable logic device refers to once programmable devices as well as reprogrammable devices.
Programmable logic encompasses all digital logic circuits that are configured by the end user, including PLDs, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). The general architecture of the embedded array programmable logic design will be generally familiar to those knowledgeable of the FLEX10K.TM. logic family of devices manufactured by the Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif. Such an architecture, for example, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,782 and Altera Data Book 1996, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a CPLD 100 with an embedded array programmable logic design will be described. Although only a few logic array blocks or memory blocks are illustrated, it should be appreciated that any number may be provided in order to meet the needs of a particular system.
The CPLD 100 includes a core region 120 and a peripheral region 121. The peripheral region 121 includes a plurality of vertical bi-directional ports 160 and a plurality of horizontal ports 162. The core region 120 includes a plurality of logic array blocks (LAB) 102 and a plurality of embedded array blocks (EAB) 104. Each EAB 104 includes an array of memory elements. Each LAB 102 includes a plurality of logic elements (LE) each of which is capable of performing simple logic functions. An internal logic interconnect included within each LAB serves to interconnect each of the logic elements included therein.
As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of LABs 102 and the plurality of EABs 104 are programmably interconnected by way of a plurality global horizontal conductors 190 and a plurality of global vertical conductors 192 to form a logic and memory array. The global horizontal conductors 190 couple to the horizontal ports 162, and the global vertical conductors 192, couple to the vertical ports 160.
For example, the horizontal bi-directional port 162-1 can be selectively coupled to a global horizontal conductor 190-1 (and all row channels included therein) so that core region 120 may communicate with external circuitry connected to the horizontal bi-directional port 162-1. Such external circuitry may, for example, include processing systems such as Pentium.TM. based PCs or Sun SPARCstations.TM.. Such processing systems are capable of executing automatic place and route software such as, for example, MAX+PLUS II.TM. developed by the Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calf. In a procedure known in the art as fitting a logic function, such automatic place and route software is used to logically couple previously programmed logic and memory units included within core region 120. In this manner, CPLD 100 is programmed to perform the logic function as desired.
Additional details of the CPLD 100 are explained with reference to a representative portion 110 of the core region 120 illustrated in FIG. 1. The representative portion 110 has the global horizontal conductor 190-1 coupled to EAB 104-1 by way of a plurality of local vertical conductors 134 and a plurality of local horizontal conductors 136. The local vertical conductors 134 are programmably coupled to the global horizontal conductor 190- 1 by way of a programmable interconnect array (PIA) 132. The local vertical conductors 134 are also programmably coupled to the local horizontal conductors 136 by way of a programmable interconnect region 133. The local horizontal conductors 136 in turn couple to the EAB 104-1.
In order to fit a desired logic function, various logic elements and/or memory blocks are individually configured to perform a small but crucial part of the overall logic and/or memory function. Any automatic place and route software must then logically connect all the programmed logic elements and/or memory elements such that CPLD 100 may execute the desired logic function and or memory-logic function.
FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of the representative portion 110 of core region 120. The programmable interconnect region 133 includes a group of programmable connectors 150 associated with the local horizontal conductors 136. The group of programmable connectors 150 can selectively connect the local horizontal conductors 136 to the local vertical conductors 134. The programmable interconnect array 132 includes a group of programmable connectors 142. The group of programmable connectors 142 can selectively connect the local vertical conductors 134 to a plurality of row channels 194 included in the global horizontal conductor 190-1.
In order to fit a logic and/or a logic-memory function any place and route software can program selected ones of the programmable connectors 142 and programmable connectors 150 to connect the EAB 104-1 to certain of the row channels 194 using, for example, the local horizontal conductors 136 and the local vertical conductors 134. The local horizontal conductors 136 connect to EAB I/O lines 105 of the EAB 104-1. The EAB I/O line 105-1 is connected to a selected local horizontal row conductor 136-1 having an associated group of programmable connectors 140-1. The place and route software can then direct a programmable connector 150-1 included in the group of connectors 140-1 to connect the local horizontal conductor 136-1 to the local vertical conductor 134- 1. The local vertical conductor 134-1 has an associated group of programmable connectors 144-1. The place and route software can further direct another selected programmable connector 142-1 included in the group of programmable connectors 144-1 to connect the local vertical conductor 134-1 to the row channel 194-1. In this manner, the EAB 104-1 can communicate with row channel 194-1 included in the global horizontal conductor 190-1 as well as with any circuitry connected thereto.
Each of the programmable connectors 150 and each of the programmable connectors 142 are controlled by individual switching devices 131. The individual switching devices 131 are switched between a connect state or a no-connect state by memory cells 135 included in the CPLD 100. As shown in FIG. 2A, for example, the representative programmable connector 150-1 is shown connected to an associated memory cell 135 by way of a memory cell node 131. The memory cell 135 must be capable of setting the programmable connector 150-1 to a connect state or a no-connect state depending on whether the associated local horizontal conductor 136-1 is programmably connected to the local vertical conductor 134-1.
The large quantity of memory cells 135 necessary to assure a high probability of fitting a complex function consumes large amounts of valuable die area and thus reduces the number of logic and memory elements that may be included in the CPLD 100. Therefore, increasing the quantity of memory cells 135 to improve the fitting probability for complex logic functions actually results in reducing the probability of fitting a desired complex logic due to the commensurate reduction in the number of available logic and memory elements in the CPLD 100.
In view of the foregoing, it is advantageous and therefore desirable to have available a programmable logic device which is capable of reducing those memory cells used to fit the desired logic function and/or memory function in a CPLD.